The purpose of the present study was to investigate teachers' implementation practices and their perceived impacts and attitudes towards the use of KiwiCo learning crates with respect to student motivation, interest in STEAM, and development of 21st century learning skills. This case study utilized a mixed methods research design that administered…

States have often introduced programs supporting science, technology, engineering and math in the secondary grades. Yet the evidence of STEM's positive impact on young children's development makes a compelling case for engaging learners in pre-K through third grade in consistent, authentic and high-quality STEM experiences. High-quality P-3 STEM…

Kindergarten teachers are being asked to deliver differentiated small-group literacy instruction. The problem is managing the independent work being done by the rest of the class during the literacy period. Research on early childhood development and literacy indicates that the classroom environment plays an important role in supporting student…

This paper presents a professional development model to support the implementation of word study in the middle school grades. The first section provides a rationale and considerations for the model. The following section discusses the theory and instructional methods of word study focusing on word sorting and word hunts. To confirm the…

Providing high-quality education in juvenile justice secure care settings presents unique challenges for the administrators, teachers, and staff who are responsible for the education, rehabilitation, and welfare of youths committed to their care. The United States departments of Education (ED) and Justice (DOJ) recognize that while these…

This article presents results of a study of 229 kindergarten teachers who completed a survey designed to gather information about the current state of Michigan kindergartens. In addition to detailed data that reveals teachers' literacy instructional practices, teachers provided written responses to the following open-ended questions: What are the…

In the primary grades, literacy teachers often face dual and competing challenges. On one hand, they are expected to provide developmentally appropriate practice in a contextually-sensitive manner. On the other hand, they are often charged with using packaged literacy curricula that contains components that are developmentally inappropriate for…

This final report discusses the activities and outcomes of a project that addressed three challenges to improving outcomes for young children with disabilities: (1) a current and thorough synthesis of the knowledge base, (2) the effective translation and dissemination of this information for families, practitioners, and administrators, and (3) an…

Examines factors contributing to and preventing the implementation of developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) in early childhood education. Presents basic guidelines for DAP, illustrates the use of "both/and" thinking in early childhood practice, and describes the conversion of one school district to DAP. Concludes that administrative…

During the 1988-89 school year, the Portland, Oregon, Board of Education adopted an approach based on developmentally appropriate practices for improving early childhood education in public schools. Part of the plan for implementing the approach focused on a teachers' self-study process. The goals of the self-study project, in which three…

The authors describe "Zero to Three"'s partnership with Gymboree Play and Music (GPM) to integrate more child development and parenting education into the company's parent-child art, music, and movement classes. It was "Zero to Three"'s first collaboration with a large, private-sector service provider to assist teachers in their efforts to help…

Drawing on experiences in North America, the United Kingdom, and other countries, this book examines the debate over the overall vision for early childhood education. The nature and quality of the United Kingdom's and other countries' culture is questioned in respect to the future it provides for children. The question of who is able to provide a…

Based on the experiences of teachers, principals, and parents involved in the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA), this book is a collection of accounts and reflections by teachers or administrators who have engaged in developing and implementing nongraded primary education programs. The articles in this book are: (1) "Reforming the…

This guide is designed for supervisors and trainers who are helping teachers of young children implement the Creative Curriculum for Early Childhood: a curriculum that is based on child development theory and is developmentally appropriate for preschool and kindergarten children. The guide gives particular emphasis to a carefully organized, rich…

This book is designed to provide guidance on effective practices that are related to better outcomes for young children with disabilities, their families, and the personnel who serve them. Practices were identified through focus groups of stakeholders: practitioners, personnel trainers, researchers, administrators, and family members. These…